According to his council, the plan would include considerations for the NYPD to use in determining whether, when, and the extent to which security perimeters may be used to protect entry to and egress (exit) from educational facilities, and for communication with stakeholders, including the public, persons seeking to assemble or protest, and affected educational administrators. The similar bill, Intro 0001-2026, which has not been vetoed, aims to do the same around houses of worship.

 

The council stated that the police commissioner would be required to submit a proposed plan and a final plan to the mayor and city council speaker, currently Julie Menin (C.D. 5), no later than 45 days and 90 days, respectively, after the bill’s effective date. The final plan would also be posted on NYPD’s website.

When the mayor was asked about the bill (175) on March 27, he said he and Menin had been in regular conversation on both bills. “I’ll say that when it comes to this legislation, I’m aware of the serious concerns that New Yorkers have raised regarding these bills limiting New Yorkers’ constitutional rights, and I will consider those concerns in my decision-making,” he said at the time.

 

He added, “I’m always looking forward to charting a course in this city that protects the right to prayer and the right to protest. And these are pieces of legislation that have had significant amendments from the time in which they were initially proposed to when they were passed, and I look forward to now reviewing the final version of both of these bills.”

 

On April 21, a coalition of interfaith school leaders sent a letter to Mamdani urging him to sign Intro 0175b-2026 bill, saying, “Failing to do so would send the wrong message at a time when school communities need clarity and support.

On April 24, the mayor said, “New York City will always uphold both the right to prayer and the right to protest. These two fundamental freedoms help define this city and the people who call it home. Last month, the City Council passed two bills related to these rights, known as buffer zone bills. Today, I am letting one of them go into effect and vetoing the other.”

 

Mamdani continued, “The first bill is Int. 1-B, which applies to houses of worship. It initially raised constitutional concerns. However, the final version of the bill that passed is narrower in scope and effect. It requires the NYPD to document its existing practices related to protests near houses of worship. Following a thorough legal review, I do not believe it poses the same risks it once did, and that is why I will allow it to become law. That said, I disagree with its framing of all protest as a security concern.”

 

He added, “The second, Int. 175-B, which applies to educational institutions, is meaningfully different. The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest. As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions.”

The mayor continued, “This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights. Int. 175-B is not a narrow public safety measure; it is a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the labor movement, reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, among others, across this City. Nearly a dozen unions have raised the alarm about its impact on their ability to organize.”

 

He concluded, “That is why I am vetoing this legislation. New York City has long stood as a place where people — across generations and backgrounds — can speak out, organize, and demand change. That tradition is essential, and we will ensure that it continues, and that protection, prayer, and protest are guaranteed for every New Yorker.”

 

Norwood News reported on at least one student protest outside Fordham University in The Bronx in May 2024, in relation to the war in Gaza. In April 2025, four Fordham University students had their student visas revoked, as reported. Columbia University graduate student and legal permanent resident of the United States Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by federal agents during the University’s student protests over U.S. actions in Gaza in March 2025.

 

According to the Associated Press, the government alleged Khalil’s efforts as a leader of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia were “aligned to Hamas,” but had not presented evidence of any connection to the terrorist group, and Khalil adamantly denied allegations of antisemitism. On his release, around three months later, after spending 104 days in jail, while his case continued to be adjudicated, he was met at the airport by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14).

 

Khalil’s wife gave birth to their first child while he was detained. He later attended Mamdani’s inauguration in January 2026. On April 9, the Associated Press reported that an immigration appeals board denied Khalil’s latest bid to dismiss his deportation case, bringing him one step closer to re-arrest and possible expulsion.

 

Both Menin and Dinowitz are Jewish. Menin shared her reaction to the mayor’s veto on Friday, writing, “Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial. This bill simply requires the NYPD to clearly outline how it will ensure safe access when there are threats of obstruction or physical injury, while fully protecting First Amendment rights.”

 

The councilman also issued a statement following the mayor’s veto, which is attached above. He has previously called for the need to curb racism in school settings. He has also been vocal about his support for former PSC-CUNY members who resigned over what was described as an anti-Semitic resolution.

 

Additionally, the UJA-Federation of New York, Conference of Presidents, ADL New York/New Jersey, AJC New York, Orthodox Union, JCRC-NY, New York Board of Rabbis, Teach NYS, The Rabbinical Assembly, StandWithUs, and Union for Reform Judaism, also issued a joint statement, attached below.

Meanwhile, the Rev. Al Sharpton also weighed in on the matter on Friday, April 24, writing, “This is an important bill for police transparency and accountability. Protesting is a fundamental right but our schools and religious institutions must be protected as well. We want to make sure that every child in every neighborhood is protected.”

 

On the other hand, The Legal Aid Society representatives welcomed the mayor’s veto, describing the vetoed bill as one that would give the NYPD “unfettered discretion to create and maintain security perimeters around public and private educational facilities,” and “significantly expand police presence and discretion in ways that risk undermining the constitutional rights of New Yorkers engaged in First Amendment activity.”

 

They said in part, “Giving the NYPD broad discretion to create and enforce ‘security perimeters’ around schools invites unnecessary police intervention into peaceful protests and everyday public life and undoubtably would have led to an increase in discriminatory enforcement, particularly against Black and Brown New Yorkers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and young people.”

 

They continued, “Rather than making these spaces safer, this bill would increase the likelihood of New Yorkers having unnecessary and harmful interactions with law enforcement and deter peaceful protests. By rejecting this proposal, the Mayor has affirmed the importance of safeguarding First Amendment protections and upholding the hard-won reforms established under the Payne v. De Blasio, et al. protest settlement – reforms that were designed to ensure that public safety and free expression can coexist without excessive or escalatory policing.”

 

They added, “This decision by Mayor Mamdani, along with the Councilmembers who voted ‘no’ on the bill, reflects a commitment to evidence-based public safety and to protecting the dignity and rights of all New Yorkers. We urge City leaders to build on this moment by advancing policies that prioritize community-based solutions over expanded criminalization to ensure that all New Yorkers can safely exercise their right to speak, assemble, and advocate for their communities.”

 

For her part, Natalia Aristizabal, co-executive director of Make the Road New York, also issued a statement on behalf of the organization’s 30,000 members, in support of the veto.

“New York City has a rich history of student protest that has helped move the needle on everything from federal immigration policy to police-free schools and the rights of Trans students to be respected in educational settings,” Aristizabal said. “And yet the City Council’s bill would have placed the NYPD on the frontlines of these peaceful protests, substantially increasing the risks for immigrant, Trans, Black and brown students, who disproportionately bear the brunt of police violence.”

 

Her statement continued, “And at a time when the Trump administration is illegally weaponizing immigration law against dissenters, it is unconscionable that this legislation would put students and their families in danger of detention and deportation. We commend Mayor Mamdani for his moral clarity in vetoing this harmful legislation, and urge the City Council members to vote no on any veto override attempts.”

 

In other school-related news, as reported, police said on Friday, April 24, at around 12.04 p.m. an on-duty NYC Department of Education (DOE) employee was arrested in the confines of the 44th Precinct in The Bronx, which covers some or all of the Bronx areas encompassing the Grand Concourse, Bronx Terminal Market, and Yankee Stadium. Read the full story here.